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Updated: Dec 28, 2025
Synthesis of a Borylated Ibuprofen Derivative Through Suzuki Cross-Coupling and Alkene Boracarboxylation Reactions
Published on: November 30, 2022
Iron-Catalysed C(sp2)-H Borylation Enabled by Carboxylate Activation
Luke Britton1, Jamie H Docherty1, Andrew P Dominey2
1EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Joseph Black Building, David Brewster Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, UK.
Abstract:
Arene C(sp2)-H bond borylation reactions provide rapid and efficient routes to synthetically versatile boronic esters. While iridium catalysts are well established for this reaction, the discovery and development of methods using Earth-abundant alternatives is limited to just a few examples. Applying an in situ catalyst activation method using air-stable and easily handed reagents, the iron-catalysed C(sp2)-H borylation reactions of furans and thiophenes under blue light irradiation have been developed. Key reaction intermediates have been prepared and characterised, and suggest two mechanistic pathways are in action involving both C-H metallation and the formation of an iron boryl species.
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